Hardy Garden Club
since 1913
Baltimore, MD
Upcoming Events
May Meeting &
Spring Horticulture Show Date: Tuesday, May 14, 2024
9:30 Coffee and Lite Fare
8:00 - 9:45 Placing and Passing of Entries
10:00 Speaker - TBD
10:15 Judging
11:00: Meeting
12:00: Show and Lunch
St. John's Episcopal Church, Western Run,
3738 Butler Road, Reisterstown, MD 21136
JANUARY
Hort Calendar
FEBRUARY
1. Bring amaryllis bulbs in their pots to full light and increase water. Feed when buds first develop.
2. Reduce water gradually on Christmas cactus, also on poinsettias when leaves begin to drop.
3. Protect evergreen and deciduous shrubs from rabbits and deer before a heavy snowfall. Also protect against wind burn and spray with Wilt Proof. Water in dry weather.
4. During thaws, walk around perennial beds and press firmly back into the ground any plants that have heaved and have roots loosened.
5. Order seeds, nursery stock, shrubs and roses as soon as you know what you will need to get the best selection.
6. Don't forget to feed the birds. Your discarded Christmas tree can provide shelter and suet can be hung from the branches.
MARCH
MAY
1. Scatter super phosphate or bone meal on tulips and daffodils early in the month.
2. Put a handful of dried manure, bone meal, and wood ashes on peonies.
3. Scatter a light application of 10-10-10 on all perennial beds to stimulate growth and bloom.
4. Fertilize azaleas, rhododendrons, and camellias
with a special acid fertilizer late in the month.
5. Prune roses and spray as soon as the first leaves emerge.
6.Cut back liriope for a neat appearance all summer.
7. Thin hydrangeas early this month. Remove some of the old wood, but don't touch the terminal buds since this is the bloom season for this year.
8. Plant annual seeds indoors early in the month.
1. Fertilize chrysanthemums monthly with liquid fertilizer until
color can be seen in bud. Continue to pinch back until July 4.
2. Spray roses every 7-10 days. Continue to spray iris every 10
days through bloom season.
3. Prune rhododendrons, forsythia, and lilacs immediately after
flowering.
4. For mophead and lacecap hydrangeas, wait until late June or
July to prune. New bloom buds are set in August for next year.
5. Set out annuals when all danger of frost has passed.
6. Dahlias may be planted at the end of the month or in early
June. Don't forget to plant the stake.
1. Prune fruit trees, grapevines, all evergreens, and late flowering shrubs. Do not prune spring-blooming shrubs until after bloom.
2. During thaw periods, go over perennial beds for possible heaving of plants and press roots back into the soil.
3. Cut some branches of spring flowering shrubs such as forsythia, pussy willow, and flowering quince and bring inside. Slit or crush the ends of the woody stems and put in water at temperatures above 60 for an early spring show.
4. Late in the month or very early March, feed iris with bone meal, super phosphate, and/or top with wood ashes.
5. Order shrubs, seeds, and bulbs for spring planting.
APRIL
1. Fertilize daffodils with 5-10-5 after blooming. Cut off the finished flowers. Mark overgrown clumps for digging and dividing once the foliage has turned yellow and died. Do not trim green foliage.
2. Fertilize lilies and roses. Feed azaleas and camellias after they have finished blooming.
3. Spray irises, roses, and peonies with a fungicide to control various leaf diseases.
4. Spray azaleas for lace bugs.
5. Prune spring flowering shrubs while in bloom or right after blooming. Cut all dead blooms off lilacs.
6. Divide chrysanthemums. Pinch off tops when plants are 6-8 inches high.
JUNE
1.Continue to spray and fertilize roses.
2. Cut off the bloom stalks of irises. They may be lifted and divided near the end of the month through Sept.
3. Plant seeds of zinnias and marigolds for a second crop.
4. All annuals, perennials and vegetable plants can be set out at this time.
5. Allow spring flowering bulb foliage to grow until it turns brown.
6. Pinch back chrysanthemums, asters and other late blooming perennials to make them bushier.
7.Apply pre-emergent weed killer to perennial beds and mulch.
JULY
1. Water during dry periods, especially daylilies.
2. Spray to prevent powdery mildew on roses and phlox.
3. Spray Alberta spruce for spider mites as well as azaleas, camellias and boxwood as needed.
4. Cut back wisteria shoots to about 3 feet to encourage formation of flower buds next year.
5. Continue to fertilize roses and chrysanthemums.
6. Cut off faded blooms on annuals and perennials.
7. Divide overcrowded perennials after blooming (this is a good time to divide tall bearded irises).
8. Prune hydrangeas after bloom. (they will form next year's buds
in August 8. Pinch back dahlias, hardy asters, chrysanthemums during the first week.
AUGUST
1. Fertilize roses, dahlias, and chrysanthemums.
2. Continue to monitor perennials and shrubs for damaging insects and spray when necessary (Don't forget dahlias ).
3. Divide daylilies, dianthus, and hosta.
4.Continue to water as needed.
5. Sow completely hardy annual seeds where they are to grow: cornflower, larkspur, california poppies.
6. Disbud dahlias and show chrysanthemums.
SEPTEMBER
1. Plant spring flowering bulbs, especially daffodils, this month. Tulips may be planted through November.
2. Make a new compost pile.
3. Continue to deadhead perennials and annuals.
4. Continue to water as needed.
5. Feed chrysanthemums and asters before they show color with a low nitrogen fertilizer to stimulate blooms.
6. Indoors, feed Christmas cactus every two weeks and water moderately.
OCTOBER
1. Continue to plant spring flowering bulbs.
2. Plant lily bulbs and peonies as soon as delivered.
3. Clean up perennials by removing all plant matter in which pests or diseases may winter over.
4. Pull out annuals after a killing frost.
5. Dig dahlia tubers after a killing frost, allow to dry for a few days and then put them in a cool place, about 50 degrees to carry them over for next year.
6. Mulch tender perennials after ground freezes to prevent frost heaving.
7. Continue to feed and water Christmas cactus every two weeks.
8. Buy and plant amaryllis bulbs toward the end of the month.
NOVEMBER
1. Cut rose bushes and climbers back to prevent wind damage.
2. Finish cleaning up flower beds and mulch.
3. Finish planting spring bulbs- especially tulips- and scatter bone meal on established plantings of daffodils.
4. Start amaryllis for Christmas bloom.
5. Fertilize wisteria after leaves have fallen- never during the spring or summer.
6. Feed trees and shrubs. Fertilizers applied after the plant has become fully dormant are utilized by the plant for spring growth.